Hi friends! In creating the poem below, I had a strong visual come to mind that led me to make this 3-minute video on the ritual of saying goodbye. It pairs with the poem. Enjoy and blessings on your continued journey to welcome the new year! Peace, Ally
I stood on the doorstep
peered out, squinted strenuous
awaiting the arrival of you.
Time passed
staring at the clouds,
counting cracks,
wishing you were here
already.
The time grew close,
I felt the pulse of your arrival near.
This is when I took the
wisps of two thousand seventeen,
the weight of three hundred sixty five days,
the black char of difficult conversations,
the golden delight of open doorways
and placed it all together,
wrapped it in fabric,
tied it with a bow.
I thanked the past year
for her service and placed her
on the altar of life
knowing she will continue
to teach me.
And now, here you are.
Welcome reverent new year,
you sweet precious babe.
Your fresh skin,
the smell
of honey laced goodness,
warm cinnamon roasting on the stove.
Your possibilities
brimming with mercy and glitter.
Oh sure,
I know you aren’t perfect.
You’ll bring sleepless nights,
tears at times.
Your challenge is change, a
constant flow of goodbyes
and hellos; you, slowly chiseling
my furious reaction
to gentle response.
In your imperfection,
I’ll find the vulnerability
you hold close and
I’ll loudly proclaim
“You are good!
You are all mine.”
For now,
let me cherish you,
rock you for a while
and dwell on the dream
of the dance of
you and I.
Beautiful Ally. Thank you so very much. 2017 became a very challenging year for me so I spent the first few days of this New Year ‘in retreat’ so that I might make a slow and conscious step into the world of all the invitations of ‘change’, as you say, with which 2018 arrives . I loved your ritual. As I returned to my home yesterday I knew that it is was not about making 2017 go away -so I very much appreciated that part of your ritual of wrapping, knotting and placing on the altar of life – yes, at some level it is finished – but it has much to teach yet. Fresh skin, the smell, taste and rich, slow-flow of movement of honey and warm cinnamon roasting – such inviting and lovely metaphors for the varied attractiveness of the New Year’s Life Invitation.
Thank you, Judith, for your kind, thoughtful response. I’m happy to hear you gave yourself the gift of retreat for your new year. Taking time for reflection as well as your deliberate choice to take things slow is not easy, yet as time travels on, this type of nourishment will tend the soil of your life to help you flourish this year. Sending you light and love for 2018!
I felt a physical lifting of weight off me when I watched this! Packaged beautifully and so much to teach us! Thank you so much for that, Ally!
Oh friend! I’m so thrilled it blessed you. May it be a visual that carries with you and helps you in your new year. XOXO